Tuesday, 28 October, 2025
Park expansion includes sensitive water catchments
Calls for reform surrounding Wildlife Act
Unicorns exhibition at Re’em winery turns heads
See Real Estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Making history By Oliver Winn The Upper Yarra Valley Historical Society (UYVHS) will turn 60 in December as it marks another successful year of preserving the past. On 7 December, the UYVHS will have an open day free to members of the public to celebrate this milestone. UYVHS president John Bramley spoke on the history of the group. “The first meeting was held at Green Gables Chalet, Warburton on Monday 15 November 1965. They initially met as the Warburton and Yarra Valley Historical Society. “The next meeting was held again at Green Gables Chalet on 13 December 1965, and the name Upper Yarra Valley Historical society was adopted,” he said. The museum was then officially opened at the Yarra Junction Railway Station on 10 December 1972. Since 1977 it has hosted the Crank Up festival. To this day, Crank Up continues to take place each year, with 2025’s iteration being a major success. Read more on page 10
Upper Yarra Valley Historical Society president John Bramley. (Stewart Chambers: 512295)
Trader devastation By Oliver Winn The recently approved expansion of Woolworths in the Yarra Junction Shopping Centre has left local traders “devastated and disappointed“. Among the local businesses affected, the Cortella discount store has been forced out of their store and Cortella owner Clea Reynolds said the council “didn’t make the right decision“. “I think I’m just really disappointed, I feel for the community really more than anything.” “From the customer’s point of view, they are
all pretty disappointed. I think they’re pretty concerned about it, but they’re also very annoyed with council.” The controversial decision to approve the planning application, submitted by retail property service provider RetPro, was approved at the 15 October council meeting in the face of strong push back from business owners and community members, bolstered by a petition with 889 signatures and 54 formal objections made to council. The planning application will also move the
other traders to face the car park. Council mayor Jim Child said this application “has weighed heavily” on himself and the other councillors. “I feel for those tenants, their business has been disrupted.” But Ms Reynolds said Cr Child’s comments felt disingenuous. “It really didn’t come across that there was genuine feeling or regret in that manner.” Yarra Junction Community Group Monica
Blanchfield spoke at the meeting and urged the council to reject the application as it was contrary to the Yarra Junction Place Plan’s vision, of which she helped curate. But Yarra Ranges Council planning and sustainable futures director Kath McClusky said the application relied on guidance from state policy and that the Yarra Junction Place Plan “is not incorporated into the planning scheme“. Cr Child said he couldn’t refuse the application as it would be against the planning scheme. Turn to page 3 to read more
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